Asian Games: India Blasts China for Denying Accreditation to Sportspersons from Arunachal
GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 22nd Sept. India has raised strong protests with China over its refusal of accreditation for the Hangzhou Asian Games to some of the Indian sportspersons from Arunachal Pradesh, and asserted that New Delhi reserves the right to take “suitable measures” to safeguard its interests.
External Affairs Ministry (EAM) Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi on Friday said as a mark of India’s protest against China’s discriminatory behaviour, Union I&B and Sports Minister Anurag Thakur has cancelled his scheduled visit to China for the Games.
Bagchi described China’s behaviour as “premeditated” targeting of athletes, saying it breaches both the spirit of the Asian Games and the rules governing their conduct, which “explicitly prohibits discrimination” against competitors from member countries.
He said a “strong protest” has been lodged against China’s “deliberate and selective obstruction” of some of India’s sportspersons.
“The government of India has learnt that the Chinese authorities have, in a targeted and premeditated manner, discriminated against some of the Indian sportspersons from the state of Arunachal Pradesh by denying them accreditation and entry to the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China,” Bagchi said.
“In line with our long-standing and consistent position, India firmly rejects differential treatment of Indian citizens on the basis of domicile or ethnicity. Arunachal Pradesh was, is and will always remain an integral and inalienable part of India,” he said.
Bagchi said India reserves the right to take “suitable measures to safeguard our interests”.
“China’s action violates both the spirit of the Asian Games and the rules governing their conduct, which explicitly prohibits discrimination against competitors from member states,” he said.
“Further, as a mark of our protest against the Chinese action, the Minister of Information and Broadcasting and Youth Affairs and Sports of India has cancelled his scheduled visit to China for the Games,” Bagchi added.
